Camilla; or, A Picture of Youth — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Camilla; or, A Picture of Youth
John Stuart Mill · en
Her qualities had a power which, without consciousness how, or
consideration why, governed her whole family. The airy thoughtlessness
of her nature was a source of perpetual amusement; and, if sometimes her
vivacity raised a fear for her discretion, the innocence of her mind
reassured them after every alarm. The interest which she excited served
to render her the first object of the house; it was just short of
solicitude, yet kept it constantly alive. Her spirits were volatile,
but her heart was tender; her gaiety had a fascination; her persuasion
was irresistible.
To give her now up to Sir Hugh, seemed to Mrs. Tyrold rather impossible
than disagreeable; but he was too urgent with his brother to be wholly
refused. She was granted him, therefore, as a guest, for the three
ensuing months, to aid him to dissipate his immediate disappointment,
from the procrastinated absence of Clermont.
Sir Hugh received back his first favourite with all the fond glee of a
ductile imagination, which in every new good sees a refuge from every
past or present evil. But, as the extremest distaste of all literature
now succeeded those sanguine views which had lately made it his
exclusive object, the first words he spoke upon her arrival were, to
inform her she must learn no Latin; and the first step which followed
her welcome, was a solemn charge to Dr. Orkborne, that he must give her
no lessons.
The gaiety, the spirit, the playful good humour of Camilla, had lost
nothing of their charm by added years, though her understanding had been
sedulously cultivated, and her principles modelled by the pure and
practical tenets of her exemplary parents. The delight of Sir Hugh in
regaining her, consisted not merely of the renovation of his first
prejudice in her favour; it was strengthened by the restoration it
afforded his own mind to its natural state, and the relief of being
disburthened of a task he was so ill calculated to undertake, as
superintending, in any sort, intellectual pursuits.
BOOK II
CHAPTER I
_New Projects_
The baronet would, at length, have enjoyed perfect contentment, had he
not been molested by the teasing spirit of Miss Margland, now daily at
work in proposing a journey to London, and in representing as an
indispensable duty, that the young ladies should see and be seen, in a
manner suitable to their situation in life.